Early Women Biochemists 1911-1939

In 1911, 50 invitations were sent to potential members of a new 'Biochemical Club'. Each of those invited to form what eventually in 1913 became the Biochemical Society had one thing in common: all were men.

If women were marginalised at the Biochemical Society's inception, they quickly gained a foothold within the field of biochemistry. This website explores why, through the careers of four particularly prominent experts in this field who were also among the first women elected to the Biochemical Society in 1913-14: (Dame) Harriette Chick, Ida Smedley, Muriel Wheldale and Marjory Stephenson.

Explore the sections on the left to find out more about these women, the places they forged their careers and the relationships that helped sustain them. The
Video and Timeline situate their stories within the broader context of early twentieth-century science and society.